Treasure Planet
by Sefie Lynne tilmitt
Summary: Sasha, a mysterious adoptee of Captian Amelia, decides to tag along on the journey to find Treasure Planet seeking her father, and meets Jim Hawkins... Can Jim open her up and start to understand Sasha's mysterious past and lineage? FINISHED!
1. Default Chapter

Chapter I

(Sasha's Point of View)

I pulled back and hit it with all I had. It howled in pain and fury and dove at me. I rolled swiftly to the right. When Amelia heard about this, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that Scroop would be the one locked in the brig. I darted away from him as he tried to land a blow on my head. I cried out as suddenly he grabbed my weak wrist. It burned like fire, and he twisted it.

"Sasha!" yelled an angry voice. I recognized it as Amelia. "Get off of her, Scroop, or I'll…."

"You'll -what-?" scroop sneered.

Amelia was shaking with rage. "Sasha, report to your cabin. IMMEDIATELY. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

I had long since learned my lesson on always calling Amelia 'ma'am' or 'captain'. I winced, pulling my dewrag down further and dashed away. The financers of the voyage would soon be here… And Amelia didn't want them to see me fighting with the crew. I remembered overhearing Amelia talking to Arrow. Their names were Jim and Doppler. Boys. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. I flopped down on my bed, hoping the stabbing pain in my wrist would slowly abate. Then it occured to me that maybe they'd know something about what happened to Dad.

I peered out the door.

"Heave together, now!!" It was Arrow.

I closed my eyes for a moment then examined the ship and everyone on it. These people gave me the creeps! They were perps... Wow, they must've paid Amelia a lot to put up with this crew on her ship!

"How cool is this?!" I heard another voice and turned to see who or what it was.

It was a teenage boy with brown hair that hung in his face. He wore big baggy clothes. -He- was the financer of the trip?! I saw him stumble into one of the perps.

"Sorry about that! I didn't mean t-"

The -thing- made disgusting noises at him, ending with a final blast in the guy's face. I pitied him, I really did. Even if he -was- a boy. He blew a piece of hair out of his face, looking disgusted. I couldn't say I blamed him.

"Allow me to handle this!" A dorky man in a 'space suit' that I had seen kids play in announced. Some how he

talked to that -thing-, and apparently apologized. The creature, in fact, laughed in its own creepy way.

"I'm fluent in Flatula, Jim! Took two years of it in high school!" Ah, my suspicions were confirmed.

"Flatula." The guy, Jim I assumed, ran his hand through his hair, smiling. I did have to confess, he had a cute smile

"Cool."

The dork saw Arrow.

"Good-morning Captain! Everything… ship-shape?"

I snickered. Arrow…? Captain? Amelia would have that dork's head for that one.

"Ship-shape it is, Sir, but I'm not the captain. The captain's aloft!"

Jim and Dork looked up. I glanced up swiftly, too. Amelia was showing off… I smirked. She must be trying to -impress- someone. Hehe...They suddenly saw the feminine figure running along the cross section. She quickly leapt down, grabbing a rope and releasing it after swinging, and somersaulted in the air, landing on the deck, a proud smile on her face. Yep, typical Amelia. Jim and Doppler stared on, shocked. The lid to Doppler's helmet once again slammed shut. They looked at each other, not sure what to make of the captain. Dumbfounded. Ha. Amelia approached the officer, glancing briefly in my direction. I ducked back behind the door. I saw Jim shoot a fleeting look curiously at the door I stood in after Amelia's gaze was averted. I wasn't fast enough. Surely he saw me. I cursed.

"Mr. Arrow, I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern and as usual it's--" she trailed off, then smiled.

"Spot on! Can you get nothing wrong?"

Arrow tipped his hat. I rolled my eyes. Those two...

"You flatter me, Captain." Arrow smiled.

Amelia smiled back and acknowledged his words with a small wink and hand signal. She the walked over to the dork in his ridiculous suit. I snickered.

"Ahh. . . Doctor Doppler, I presume?" she asked the flustered looking dork.

"Uh, eh, well- I, uh, yes-" Dopler the Dork stammered.

Amelia smirked and held a hand up in a false yell, obviously in mockery of his helmet and suit. I laughed scornfully.

"Hellooo? Can you hear me!" Amelia knocked on his helmet several times. Doppler became angry, and I laughed.

"Well, Yes I can! Stop that banging!" he snapped. Dopler tried to pull off his helmet unsuccessfully. Amelia grabbed a part of his bizarre suit.

"If I may, Doctor, this works so much better when it's-" Amelia began, smirking and suddenly turning the front of the suit 180 degrees. "-right way up and-" she continued, whirling Dopler around, grabbing an electric plug and jamming it into the front of the stupid suit "-plugged in! Lovely, there you go!" she finished, smiling in a satisfactory way. Amelia smirked again. Doppler looked annoyed and finally managed to get his helmet off. He grabbed the plug and waved it at Amelia. I couldn't help but grin.

"If you don't mind, I can manage my own plugging!" he fumed.

Amelia stared at the hand holding the plug for a moment, then suddenly gripped it in her own, giving it a vigorous shake.

"I'm Captain Amelia! Lately I've had a few run-ins with the Procyon armada; nasty business, but I won't bore you with my scars!" she beamed, turning to Arrow. What a show-off.... I'd have to tease her about that later. I rolled my eyes. "You've met my first officer, Mr. Arrow! Sterling, dependable, honest, tough, brave and true!" Amelia gestured proudly at Arrow, who simply smiled.

"Please, Captain. . ." he said.

"Oh, shut up, Arrow, you know I don't mean a word of it." Amelia laughed.

I found myself smiling as well. Amelia grinned at Arrow jokingly. Suddenly both turned to Doppler as he cut in.

He cleared his throat.

"Excuse me! I hate to interrupt this. . . .lovely banter, but, may I introduce to you Jim Hawkins! Jim, you see, is the boy who found the trea -MMPH!"

Amelia had suddenly grabbed his muzzle and glared at him. Vicious little cat when she wanted to be...

"Doctor! Please!" she hissed, looking over her shoulder.

I saw she was looking at some of the shadier perps, who had perked up when they thought they had almost heard the word treasure. Morons. Amelia turned back to Doppler and let go of his muzzle.

"I'd like a word with you in my stateroom." She muttered.

I sighed and flopped down on my bed. The next thing I knew, someone was shaking me gently. I moaned and looked up to see Amelia, looking anxious. She smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry for what happened." She said.

I grunted in reply. I knew she wasn't sorry at all.

"You can come out to watch the launch if you would like to do so." Amelia nodded. "Just thought I would let you know."

I looked at her through narrowed eyes as she left. I waited a minute before slipping out the door, shoving my dewrag down further down over my head. I stared to the helm, where Amelia, Arrow, Doppler, and the helmsman, Turnbuckle, were standing. I threw Amelia a look of disgust and leaned gently back against the wood.

"VE ARE ALL CLEAR, CAPTAIN!" bellowed a little creature from the crowsnest.

Amelia looked up to Arrow with a small smile.

"Well, my friend. . . are we ready to raise this creaking tub?"

Arrow chuckled. "My pleasure, Captain." Arrow turned to face the bow of the ship. "ALL HANDS TO STATIONS!"

The crew began heading to their stations as Arrow continued giving commands. "LOOSE ALL SOLAR SAILS!"

I closed my eyes, his loud voice penetrating my consciousness and seeming to drive a nail into my skull. My headache wasn't helped. The riggers unfurled the solar sails, which began to gleam in the light. Jim watched with a look of excitement on his face. He accidentally bumped into a crew member at work, and they yelled at him angrily. I wanted to run up and pop them, but I didn't. I had obviously learned about fighting on the Legacy....

"Clear braces! . . ." yelled Arrow. The Legacy began to draw power from the solar energy filling the sails.

"BRACE UP!"

The mechanic and gunner, Meltdown, I think was his name, waited anxiously for the Legacy to get enough power to sail at full speed. Everyone began to float into the air from lack of gravity. Jim's baggy clothing billowed around him as he floated into the air. I chuckled. Amelia and Arrow raised several feet, keeping control of themselves. Doppler floated randomly. He appeared to be enjoying himself, however. He had hell in store. I grinned.

"Mr. Snuff!" Amelia ordered, "Engage artificial gravity!"

Snuff, the disgusting alien that Doppler was speaking in 'Flatula' to, saluted and turned on the gravity. Jim landed on the deck using his hands for balance. He wasn't half bad. To bad I'd be spending the rest of the journey in my cabin. Fudge. Amelia and Arrow simply dropped back to their feet. Doppler clanged to the deck, and, much to my amusement, landed upside-down. Amelia looked down at him, then turned to the octopus-like helmsman, Turnbuckle.

"South by southwest, Mr. Turnbuckle! Heading two-one-zero-zero!" Amelia called.

Turnbuckle began to turn the helm in his tentacle-like hands.

"Aye, Cap'n! Two-one-zero-zero!"

"Full speed, Mr. Arrow, if you please!" Amelia ordered.

Arrow leaned down to a small funnel to direct Meltdown.

"Take her away!" he yelled.

Meltdown grinned satisfactorily and engaged the Legacy's engines and thrusters.

"Brace yourself, Doctor." Smirked Amelia. I beamed.

Doppler rolled his eyes. Boy, he'd regret that. "Nyeh nyeh nyeh…" he muttered, mocking Amelia.

Suddenly the Legacy's thrusters kicked into full burn. The Legacy flew forward in a burst of speed. Amelia stood firm, ready for the change in force, but Doppler was thrown off his feet. As was I. I felt myself beining slammed back into the wall. "WOOAAAAHHH- OOF!" I heard Doppler yelp. I groaned, dragging myself to my feet. Jim was holding onto the rigging, but leaned over the side excitedly. He sees a large group of Space Whales, slang for Orcus Galacticus. Doppler stood on an extension of the bridge and lookedout at the creatures

excitedly.

"Upon my word! An Orcus Galacticus!"

Well, Duh. Did you think there wasn't life outside of your goofy little planet? Doppler pressed a button on his suit, and a camera popped out in front of him. He aimed the camera at the nearest Orcus Galacticus.

"SMILE!" He called cheerfully.

Amelia apparently saw him and tried to warn him. "Eh, Doctor, I'd stand clear of the--" she never got to finish that particular thought.

The Orcus Galacticus suddenly blew a spume of a greenish goo all over Doppler. Without a word, he snapped the picture. I burst out laughing, and Jim caught a glimpse of me. My face turned red. A glob of the goo fell onto Doppler's photograph. Amelia smiled a bit at this. Jim, who had been wandering around on the shrouds, jumped off and started walking towards me, hands in his pockets.

"Hello." I nodded at him, trying to appear bored so he would go away.

He nodded back, his eyes locking into mine. I shivered and broke eye contact.

"Yeah," he sounded even slightly suspicious, "Hi..."

"My name is Sasha."

"No last name?" he raised his eyebrows.

"None that anyone needs to know."

"Oh." He nodded, as if he understood. He would -never- understand. "Well, my name is Jim Hawkins."

"Yeah, I've heard of you. The one that found it." I tried not to give to much away so the crew couldn't overhear and understand about the map.

"Mm hm..." he said distractedly. "So you ever been on one of these ships before now?"

"I... live on this ship, kind of, when Amelia's captain. She sort of adopted me."

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?" I snapped.

He looked up at me, his eyes shadowed oddly by his bangs. "Your parents."

"That's not important." I scowled, crossing my arms and closing my eyes.

"Sure."

"You won't go away."

"So?"

"Fine! But you'd better not make fun of me!" I snapped.

"Why would I do that? Your past has to be better than mine."

"Whatever. My dad went on a voyage to find Treasure Planet seven years ago.... He disappeared. Poof.

Not a trace of him. And my mom? Yeah, you really don't need to know that." I shook my head, not able to believe I was pouring out my past to some random freak.

"I know how it feels." he nodded, and I felt a little sorry for him.

"Why? I told my past to some random stranger, now it's your turn."

"My dad left a long time ago. Just took off on a ship without saying goodbye."

"Mm." I nodded. "Your mom?"

"She's at home, waiting for me. Not that it helps. The cops are always on my back at home."

At least he had a sane mom. He was being ungrateful about it, too! That little jerk... I remember the last time I visisted Mother. All she would talk about was the darkness in her head, and how little elves and pixies were in the padded room with her. I sighed, pushing a strand of hair out of my eyes.

"Did I say something?"

"No." I snapped. "No, you didn't have to say something." I knew I was being just as jerky as he was, but y'know what? I really didn't care! Ha! So take that, Hawkins-Le-Loser!

"Listen, I'm sorry."

"Whatever." I sank down and leaned against the wall, eyes closed. Mother. I still needed her. Why did she hafta go all psycho on me? I felt great annoyance when Jim sank down next to me.

"So."

"So what?"

"Ouch."

"Yeah, ouch. Now go away." I rolled my eyes.

"You have a really bad temper."

"Or maybe meddling boys just put me in a REALLY BAD MOOD."

"Ah. Well, I think that no matter how big of a jerk you are--"

"Then you can always be the bigger one?"

"Will you please stop interupting me?"

"What if I don't?"

He shook his head. "Sasha, you're acting like a six year old."

"Well, you're a few fries short of a happy meal, at least I'm all there and not totally nosey." I snapped.

"Your elevator doesn't quite reach the top floor, ya psych..." he scowled.

"Shut up...." I mumbled.

"Did I say something again?"

I didn't reply.

"Dangit! I always say something wrong!" he jumped to his feet. "Well, I'm not gonna waste my time talking when I can be watching the launch!"

"By all means," I waved my hand dismissively, "If talking to me is wasting your time, go hang out on your own."

"Wait, Sasha!"

I had started to walk away but turned around impatiently, my hands on my hips. "What do you want?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant that I don't get to see a launch every day, and that I find it interesting. And I also wanna know why you won't--" he dashed at me and grabbed my dewrag, and I gasped, furious, "Take this off!"

"Because I like it!" I said angrily, jamming my dewrag back down. Truth be told, I was a cat just like Amelia, but no one really had to know that, now did they?

"It must run alot deeper than that. You're keeping a secret." he looked amused.

"Must you try to stick your nose where it doesn't belong so often?!"

"Must you be a snob?! Gosh, you are such a freaking psycho! Getting mad over nothing!"

"Listen, go away you ungrateful, inconsiderate, jerk!" I said, and to my own shame tears stung my eyes, "You have NO IDEA what being psycho or insanity is, okay?! So just.... just go and flush your head down the toilet or something, alright?!" I started to walk off. Jim grabbed my arm.

"Hey," he said gently. "I'm sorry. It seems you get really cheesed off at me when I talk about my mother or being psycho... So I'll try not to mention it anymore. I didn't mean to make you mad or insult you or whatever."

"Sure. Whatever... just... whatever..."

"Ahh, t'is a grand day for sailin', Cap'n! And lookit yeh! You're as trim an' as bonnie as a sloop with new sails and a fresh coat o' paint!" I heard Silver say, and looked over. Silver took off his hat, bowed, and grinned up at Amelia again. Amelia was quite obviously unimpressed and unamused.

"You can keep that kind of flim-flammery for your spaceport floozies, Silver!"

I watched Silver's grin disappear like paint in turpentine. Morph suddenly changed into a small Amelia, placing his hands on his hips and mimicking her.

"Spaceport floozies, spaceport floozie- WAHHH!!!" Morph cried as Silver scooped him into his hat, pinning Morph to his head. Silver looked up at Amelia.

"Yeh cut me to the quick, Cap'n! I speaks nothin' but me heart, at all times--" Silver's hat suddenly flew off of his head and Morph squeaked from under it, "Nothin' but me hear-" I had to admit, I had grown quite fond of the little Morph. Silver quickly grabbed his hat and pinned it to his head again.

"A-heh!" Silver cleared his throat nervously.

Amelia suddenly up at Jim, who was still holding onto my arm. My face went bright red.

"And, ehm, by the way, isn't that your cabin boy, flirting with one of my crew members?" Amelia smirked at Silver, who suddenly looked as though he didn't know what to do. Then Amelia looked over to me mockingly. Silver attempted an explanation feebly.

"Eh, y- wh- oh. . . A momentary aberration, Cap'n! Soon to be addressed!" Silver turnned to us, his face suddenly stern. "Jim-BO!"

Jimbo. How nerdy. Nerdy name for the geek. That worked. Jim let go of my arm as if he had been burned. Silverwas suddenly smiling slyly. That old goof had something rotten up his good-for-nothing sleeve.

"I've got two new friends I'd like yeh t' meet!"

Jim looked around with a small smile on his face for the aforementioned friends, but saw nobody around. He looked at Silver questioningly, who smirked. Well, -that- sure as heck couldn't be good.... Rotten old cyborg...

"Say 'hello' to Mr. Mop!" Silver tossed a mop at Jim from behind his back; Jim caught it sulkilly."And Mrs. Bucket!" Silver tossed a bucket at Jim as well, who sighed and rolled his eyes as Silver laughed at his own joke. Silver was a jerk; I didn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Considering I was 5' 2" and weighed 98 pounds, that wasn't far. But that's not the point!

"Yippee." Jim said saracastically. I decided he was not a butthole, he was the whole butt.

"Hey, you need some help?" I asked, pitying him.

"Sure. Whatever."

I went, retreiving a second mop from the storage room.

"So... Um..."

"Yeah, I got your 'Mr. Mop'!" Jim muttered angrily. Apparently he didn't even notice I was there. Wow, he just really didn't impress me.

Suddenly a huge crew member, Hands, pushed past Jim, who grunted a little as he's shoved. He rubbed his chest where Hands pushed him. Not that it hurt him. Oh no. He just had a bruised ego. Men. Hands turned around and glared at Jim with a slack-eyed gaze.

"Watch it, twerp!" Hands said.

Jim stared at him, disbelieving of his utter rudeness. Heh. I got news for ya buddy, it's every man-- or woman-- for his -- or her--self. Suddenly Jim noticed a few crew members whispering to one another. He listend to them curiously. Suddenly one of them, Meltdown, noticed him, and motioned for the others to stop talking. They glared at him. Uh-oh. I got into a fighting stance. Jim moved the mop once, attempting to appear at work. One of the crew members, Oxy, glared at him.

"What are you lookin' at, weirdo?" Oxy snorted.

His head seemed to scuttle off of his shoulders. I grunted, disgusted. A face appeared where his stomach seemed to have been. The head was an entirely different crew member, and his name was actually Moron. I am dead serious. This was just -gross-.

"Yeah! Weirdo!" Moron said in a whiney, high-pitched voice that hinted he was talking through his nose.

Jim stared at the two, somewhat confused and somewhat disgusted. Yeah, I had to agree with him. Suddenly he looked up as he heard a hissing noise coming from above him in the rigging. I gasped. It was Scroop, crawling down and smiling at him sinisterly. He comes down to Jim's level and hisses in his face. To my horror, he looked to me.

"I see Amelia's playing favorites... she would have locked me in the brig for the remainder of the journey, had -I- started it."

"You -DID- start it, Scroop." I scowled.

"Mind yer own business, brat."

"Why, ya got somethin' ta hide, Bright Eyes?" Jim said challengingly, stepping infront of me so Scroop couldn't see me. No, no, NOT a good idea, Jim...

Scroop held onto Jim's collar and pulls him closer. "Maybe yer ears don't work ssso well!"

"Ugh, yeah, nn!" Jim acted like he was gagging, "Too bad my NOSE works just fine!"

Scroop suddenly looked furious. "Why you impudent little-!" Scroop suddenly lifted Jim up by his shirt collar and slammed him against the mast. The crew suddenly got excited by the hint of violence coming, and cheered Scroop on. I was horrified.

"Any last wordsss, cabin boy?" Scroop snapped open one of his creepy claws that took the place of his hands and dug the sharp end into Jim's neck. Jim tilted his chin up to avoid the sharp point.

"Hey, put him down!" I said shrilly. "Or--"

"Or what? You'll pop me with your little dagger? Oh, I'm terrified! Quivering!"

"I said DROP HIM!" I shrieked, driving my dagger into his claw.

Scroop shouted in pain and pulled his claw away. He dropped Jim and held his claw defensively, glaring at me venimously. "I'll --"

Mr. Arrow suddenly walked up to us. Thank God! "What's all this, then?" He asked angrily, gazing around at the crew. "You know the rules! There'll be no brawling on this ship! Any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the remainder of the voyage!" Arrow glared at Scroop in particular. "Am I clear, Mr. Scroop?"

Scroop glared at him, but obviously thought better of talking back. He turned back to Arrow, still sneering.

"Transparently." he hissed.

The crew all headed off to their duties again, talking amongst themselves. Only Jim and I were left. He looked to me, quite clearly embarrassed.

"Hey, I, ah, uh.... Thanks."

I smiled at him. Suddenly I heard a bang, and Silver walked out of the door down to the kitchens, then quickly bent down and picked up the mop, glaring at Jim. He pointed at the mop.

"Jimbo! I gave you a job! An-"

"Hey, I was doing it until that BUG thing--" Jim began defiantly.

"BELAY THAT! Now! I want this deck swabbed spotless!" Silver yelled and looked at Jim warningly, and continued, more in chastise than threat, "And heaven help ye if I come back an' it's not done!" Silver looked up at Morph. "Morph! Keep an eye on these here. . . pups! Let me know if there be any more distractions."

Morph burbled in obedience, then suddenly whirled around in the air, giving himself large, over-sized eyes and keeping them trained on Jim and I. Jim rolled his eyes and sighed. I felt about the same way. It was dark by now. We tried to mop quickly but efficiently, and Morph had turned himself into a miniature version of the mop, and squeaked and slid around the deck at a much faster pace than Jim and I, obviously enjoying himself. He slid over Jim's boot. Jim smiled as Morph turned back into his cute pink self and hiccupped a few bubbles.

"Well this has been a fun day, huh? Making new friends?. . . Like that spider-psycho!" Jim said to Morph sarcastically. Jim waggled his fingers like a spider to demonstrate the creepiness of Scroop. I agreed whole heartedly.

"Huffah!" I said, showing my enthusiasm of being Anti-Scroop. Morph turned into a small version of Scroop and copied the motions of Jim's hand.

"Huffah. That's a new one." grinned Jim.

" Spider-psycho! Spider-psycho!" squeaked Morph.

Jim laughed as he watched Morph. "A little uglier." grinned Jim, still chuckling.

Morph looked thoughtful for a moment as the small Scroop, then suddenly he drastically charicatured the evilness of Scroop, laughing maniacally and giving a deranged, cartoonish look to Scroop's face.

"MUWAH-HAHAHAHAHAAHHH!" Morph squealed.

I burst out laughing, and Jim grinned. "That's pretty close."

Morph smiled and shrugged as the comically-evil Scroop. We all heard Silver coming back up to the top deck, and Morph abruptly turned into a pink blob of silly putty again.

"Thank heaven for little miracles! Up here fer an hour an' the deck's still in one piece!" he said, his voice falsely cheerful, and I felt like giving a good pop on the head. "Didn't yer pap ever teach yeh ta pick yer fights a bit more carefully?" Silver asked eventually, concerned.

Jim stopped smiling then looked down and began mopping again without answering. I knew just how he felt; it was a raw nerve for me, too.

"Yer father not the teachin' sort?" said Silver slowly.

Jim looked a bit angry and upset, but was doing his best to seem nonchalant. I could see past that, seeing as i was in the same boat.

" . . . No. He was more the. . . taking-off-and-never-coming-back. . . sort."

Silver got a look of understanding mixed with his concerned one. He didn't understand... no, not at all.

"Ohhh. . . sorry, lad." he said quietly.

Jim shrugged, but didn't make eye contact with Silver. "Hey, no big deal. I'm doin' just fine."

Silver looked at Jim, inspecting him for a moment. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Is'at so...?" he asked disbelievingly, then turned to me menacingly. "Now, Sasha! I know yer a guest of the captain, but that's the second time today yeh got into a fight with Scroop. I trust there won't be any more problems, Sasha?"

"No, Silver." I snapped. "I'll be the perfect little angel because one of the crew members is a total creep and a jerk."

"Well, I wouldn't be saying that if I were you, because the cap'n has put yeh in my charge as your punishment for fighting, Sasha, and, like it or not I'll be poundin' a few skills into both yer thick heads o' to keep you two outta trouble!" Silver tapped Jim's forehead as he said this.

Jim looked just as outraged as I felt. He appeared to be about to object, but Silver cut him off, smiling slyly. What a sleeze.

"From now on I'm not lettin' you outta me sight!" Declared Silver.

"You can't j--!" Jim began.

"You won't s'much as-- " Silver counted on his fingers, "--eat, sleep, or scratch yer bum--!" He slammed his cybernetic fist onto the side of the Legacy to make a point. "--without my sayin' so!"

Jim glared at him, in complete opposition. "Don't do me any favors!" He spat sarcastically.

Silver grinned and quickly put an hand on each of our shoulders, "Oh, you can be sure of that, you two! You can be sure of that!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning Morph woke me up at the crack of dawn, and I dragged myself grumpilly to the deck. If I was not already tired and grouchy enough, we were scraping the etherial barnacles off of the boat. EVERY. STINKING. ONE. I tried my hardest, I really did, but those things seemed absolutely stuck for good.

"Put some elbow into it!!" Silver demanded bossilly.

I scowled.

"Here." Jim reacehd over and pryed it off easilly.

My face turned red. "I coulda done it."

"Hm. Sure." he went back to scraping barnacles off. DANGIT! STUPID BOYS!

Another tedious job was peeling potatoes... in the galley, without Silver, which meant we would totally goof off andf get into trouble. I sat and observed Jim, was leaning back in his chair, doing his work slowly, more interested in the process of the peeling than actually getting the potatoes peeled. He suddenly looked up from his potatoe, deep in thought.

"Hey.... Do you like music?"

"Yeah." I nodded cautiously, because I didn't know where this was going.

"...Can I teach you a song?"

"Sure." I put down my potatoe, staring intently at him,

"I am a question to the world, not an answer to be heard. . . Or a moment that's held in your arms... And what do you think you'd ever say? I won't listen, anyway. . . You don't know me, and I'll never be what you want me to be... And what do you think you'd understand? I'm a boy, no, I'm a man... You can't take me, and throw me away... And how can you learn what's never shown? Yeah, you stand here on your own...They don't know me, 'cause I'm not here... And I want a moment to be real, Wanna touch things I don't feel... Wanna hold on, and feel

I belong... And how can the world want me to change? They're the ones that stay the same. . . They don't know me, 'cause I'm not here... And you see the things they never see, All you wanted, I could be... Now you know me, And I'm not afraid... And I wanna tell you who I am, Can you help me be a man? They can't break me, as long as I know who I am. They can't tell me who to be, 'Cause I'm not what they see... Yeah, the world is still sleepin' while I keep on dreamin' for me... And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe... And I want a moment to be real, Wanna touch things I don't feel... Wanna hold on, and feel I belong... And how can they say I never change? They're the ones that stay the same... I'm the one now, 'cause I'm still here. I'm the one, 'cause I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here..."

I stared up at him in wonder. "....Who are you singing about?"

He shrugged. "Depends on what you mean. I'm singing about myself. About my dad,in some parts. Some parts Silver. And, well... some parts..."

"Some parts?" I prompted.

"Ah, nothing." he went back to pealing potatoes, and no matter how much i pestered him he wouldn't tell me.

Curses!

I had not been listening to Silver as he ranted on how to tie knots. I felt Jim nudge me gently and I looked up. He motioned to his knot, which, in my opinion, was tied better than Silver's. But then he made a hand gesture that meant 'follow me'. I almost didn't do it. Almost. But I smiled slightly and went down the rope after Jim.

"So..." he muttered. "Is this what it's always like on the Legacy?"

"What do you mean?"

"Everything. Is this the everyday life of the Legacy?"

"Yeah."

"Someday, then.... maybe I'll work on one of these."

"Jim... It's a lonely life, that of a spacer. Sometimes it's too lonely to handle."

I looked sadly up at the stars twinkling merrilly. Mom had commandeered her own ship, but eventually, after a year without dad, she lost her stability, and she had to sell the boat because they wouldn't let her commandeer it any longer.... that made her only more crazy. Her whole life was on that boat....

"You okay, Sasha?"

I looked over to him. "...Yeah. I'm fine."

We walked away, and I looked back over my shoulder. Silver had just noticed we were gone.

"Scrubbing the deck... how often do we have to do this?!"

I was kneeling next to Jim and I grimaced. "If Amelia had her way, then by all means we would do this at least twice a day."

"Ouch."

"Mm hm."

His hand bumped into mine, and I drew back. He grinned.

"What, am I infected?"

"No... I just.... wasn't expecting it, that's all." I said defensively.

"Hm." he looked down thoughtfully.

"Jimbo, you're free to go. Sasha, you stay." Silver said from behind us in his booming, obnoxious voice. I winced.

"Hey, that's not fair." Jim stood up, looking ridiculous in his apron.

"Fine, then, if yeh'd rather stay with her, then go ahead. Neither of yeh come down till this is spotless!"

Jim glared at Silver, but couldn't win the unspoken staredown. Silver smirked and shoved a bucket of water at Jim, who scowled and dumped the water out on the deck. I waited till Silver was gone to look at him. He had dropped to his hands and knees again and was scrubbing silently. I bit my lip.

"Jim.... what did you do that for?"

"It wasn't fair." he said simply. "It wasn't fair to let me go and for you to have to stay. At least we'll get it done more quickly, eh?" he cocked his head, smiling. My face turned red as we did the job together, smiling and laughing.

Finally we were just sitting back and having some fun. The crew were all seated at a table around Silver, listening to him tell a story eagerly. His robotic arm worked furiously to keep up with enhancing the story with visual effects. Jim and I sat on the other side of the room, drinking iced tea, the drink served to those of us who were under 21. I watched Jim watching Silver excitedly. I shook my head. What was he thinking?!

I just didn't want to hear stories about random pointless experiences... no, I wasn't in that kind of mood, since the crew member's stories usually involved their dads. I know I was being a baby. But y'know what? Losing your dad when your nine and your mother losing her mind when you're ten can do that to you.

"Hey..." Jim said casually, and I jumped, not expecting him.

"Hey." I muttered.

I climbed up into the crow's nest and leaned back, my eyes closed. I hoped he got the point, when he saw how small the crow's nest was, that sometimes I needed to be alone. But instead he plunked himself right down next to me. It was a tight fit, even if we were both very thin. He grinned over at me.

"You're quite the enigma, Sasha."

"Thanks." I grumbled.

"....Smile. C'mon. I know you can, I've seen it. Now, come on. Please?"

"Why? What's there to smile about?" I frowned.

He put his hand under my chin and lifted it, making me look at him. "Never frown, Sasha. You just never know who might be falling in love with your smile."

He climbed down and went to rejoin Silver. I stared after him. I had to get off this ship. I just had to. I liked Jim and all -- I mean, he was a nice kid, pretty cute, and he seemed to like me a lot-- but it would just never work. I mean, I was a cat, just like Amelia. And also I had never dated. And i was awkward around guys. And I don't know if I felt the same about him.... I closed my eyes, my head spinning.

Jim didn't bring it back up for a long time. We were sitting scrubbing the crew's dirty dishes.

"Sloppy little brutes..." I muttered. I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye. We'd been doing this for about two hours, and it was probably midnight by now. I rubbed my eyes.

"Do you want to go to bed and let me finish this?" he asked suddenly, looking up at me.

"No." I yawned. "No, because you helped me scrub the deck. This is the least I can do."

He shrugged, and I felt myself grow more tired as he sang under his breath the song he sang for me earlier. The next thing I knew I was in my bed... Jim had obviously taken me back, and I'd apparently fallen asleep. Stupid Sasha... I blinked, remembering what he had said to me.... 'never frown, because you never knowwho might be falling in love with your smile'. I didn't -want- anyone falling in love with my smile! Heck, I didn't want anyone falling in love with me -period-! Jesus Christ! Jim really wasn't all that bad of a guy. He really wasn't. But it could never ever work. Never.

For some reason that made me kind of sad. I mean, that we could never get together or anything like that. Because I think although I -didn't- like him, that I very easilly -could- like him. In time. I guess. I closed my eyes, trying to go to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

                The next day we were to do the most amazing thing ever. Silver and let Jim and I fly the longboat to the comet. We climbed in. No one had ever let me in the longboat before, and I was excited. Jim hopped in first, and I untied the boat and got in afterwards. He grinned over at me.

"You ready, Sasha?"

"Yeah."

"Hold on tight." He grinned.

                I clung to the seat, not really knowing what to expect when-- WHOOSH! -- We took off so suddenly and quickly that I was thrown forward. Jim grabbed onto me with the hand that wasn't on the tiller. I gasped and he sighed, smiling at little. It was an annoying smile, like 'I-shoulda-known' like I was a little kid who constantly needed supervision. His eyes locked firmly into mine, and my heart pounded. Why did I feel this way?!

"I told you to hold on, Sasha."

"Oh, shuddup." I muttered.

"I did it again, dangit! After I did so good at not making you mad--"

"Is that all you were out for?! The kicks of not picking me off?!"

"No, that's not it! Stop assuming!"

"Stop it, Jim!"

We remained silent, and every time he tried to scoot closer to me I scooted away until I was directly against the wall.

"Why won't you leave me alone, you contankerous pervert!?" I yelled.

He burst out laughing, and I wondered if he needed a sanity check.  "I know you don't think that I'm a contankerous pervert, Sasha."

"You crazy, Jim?" I scowled.

"Depends on what you mean. Like this?" He did  a barrel roll and I squealed.

"JIM WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! YOU--" I trailed off as we flew into the comets tail.   It felt all tingly... Little bits of stardust floated around us everywhere in all directions. I reached out to touch the stardust, and tried to close my hand around it. That was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life...  My mouth was open in awe one second, and then I realized that someone's lips were on mine. My eyes sprang open to see Jim and I thought about pulling back. But I didn't. I closed my eyes and let him kiss me. And y'know what? I hate to admit it, but from the way my heart raced and my head got all spinny, I really -did- love him... And I was okay with that. Eventually he pulled back.

"Jim..." I said awkwardly, the feeling still lingering on my lips.

Jim's face turned red and he pulled out of the feild of stardust. We went quickly back into the ship. I smiled slightly at him.

"....You still have Stary dust on you, Jim."

"I do?"

"Here," I smiled, "Lemme get it off."

I leaned close to his face and brushed the little sparklies off his cheek. I couldn't help it as a giggle escaped. Urgh.

"Sparklies don't look good on you, Jim. Sparklies are for girls."

                I was about to lean back to my own seat but I didn't, because Jim grabbed my hand, causing me to topple down onto his lap. I tried to stand up but my legs had turned to jelly. Why was that? Why did he make me all tingly and nervous and all that crap?

"Did you enjoy the ride?" he asked, smiling.  
"....Yeah. You?"

"My favorite part... went about like this."

                He leaned over to me again, so close I could see every little fleck of color in his eyes. He had beautiful eyes, did I mention that?  And he got close enough that our faces almost touched. He leaned his forehead against mine for a second, smiling, then he moved closer and his lips touched mine. That feeling overwhelmed me again, and I thought -- and hoped-- that the kiss would last forever.

                The whole world seemed perfect for a second, even though ten minutes earlier I would have sworn that I didn't like Jim. But about two seconds later, the Legacy rocked violently and I was thrown away from Jim. I screamed, hanging only to the ship by five fingers.

"SASHA!" Jim exclaimed, horrified.

                I hadn't been that scared.... ever. Not _ever_. I was literally hanging on for dear life. If I slipped, just once, I would float off into space and die. I didn't want that.... no, not at all. I cried out and reached for Jim, who had jumped down and was grabbing frantically at my hand. 

"Jim..." I reached for his hand, and I could see the same fear I was feeling reflected in his eyes.

He grabbed my hand, finally, and hoisted me up. I breathed heavilly.

"Are you okay, Sasha?!"

"....I'm fine..." I whispered. "Let's go see what happened."

We ran up onto the deck. Dopler was there, holding a telescope.

"The star Pellucid! . . It's gone supernova!!!" He yelled.

I saw Amelia running up the steps to the bridge. Supernova... dangit...!

"Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!!" Amelia shouted.

Turnbuckle really tried, but it was obvious he was struggling.

"Aye, Cap'n!!" he said, trying to act brave.

"All hands, fasten your lifelines!!!" Bellowed Arrow.

                Jim and I hurried to fasten our lifelines. I had been four when something like this had last happened, and I hardly remembered it, but I knew it was terrifying above all else. The whole world seemed red, and in one second it looked like fireworks I'd read about in textbooks. Boom.... the star exploded, and time seemed to stand still.

"Mr. Arrow!!! Secure those sails!!!" Amelia ordered.

"Secure all solar sails! Brace them down, men!!" Arrow repeated.

                We all tried to get the sails tied down while they were still intact. Suddenly a huge chunk of star, much larger than the Legacy itself, was upon us. No... No! It was quite obviously on a collision course. Meltdown fired a few futile shots at it. It rolled closer and closer to the Legacy. Doomsday was coming. And we knew it, although we could do nothing about it. I clutched Jim's hand. But then, like a miracle, the rock started to go... backwards?! WTF was giong on?!

"Captain! The STAAAR!!!" screeched Onus from the Crow's Nest.

Amelia and Doppler turned down in the bridge. On Doppler's face was a look of horror.  I did NOT like that expression. Not one little bit.

"It's devolving into a. . . a black hole!!!" he informed us. All hell broke loose.

The spiral of the black hole seemed haunting, fascinating... I always did have a morbid fascination with things that brough death, and this was most certainly our deaths. Turnbuckle was struggling at the helm, but it was inevitable... this was the last ten seconds of our lives. Jim seemed speechless for a minute, incapable of comprehending the horrible death that aproached us.

"We're bein' pulled in!!" Turnbuckle yelled.

....Really? No crap? I thought -we- were pulling -it- in, ya goof....

Turnbuckle lost his grip, and I lost any hope I had. I closed my eyes, hoping this would be painless.

"Oh, no, ya don't!!" I heard Amelia say, and she sounded muffled as if her teeth were clenched. "Blast these waves, they're suffusedly erratic!"

Just hurry up.... I don't wanna think about this.

" No, Captain! They're not erratic at all! There'll be one more in precisely forty-seven- point-two seconds, followed by the biggest magilla of them all!!" That made me open my eyes and stare at him.

"Of course! Brilliant, Doctor!! We'll RIDE that last magilla out of here!!!" Amelia exclaimed. She must have been mad.

"All sails secured, Captain!" reported Arrow.

"Good man! Now, release them immediately!" She sounded absolutely crazy.

" . . . Aye, Captain! You heard her, men! Unfurl those sails!" It was obvious he was confused and hesitant, but he trusted Amelia with his life.

A few of the creeps that had come down from the rigging, Scroop, Mackricki, Oxi, Moron, and Birdbrain, stare at him.

"What?!" Mackricki looked dumb and puzzled. Nothing had changed.

" But we just finished-" Moron began.

" -tyin' 'em down!!!" Oxy finished.

"Make up yer bloomin' minds!!!" Birdbrain exclaimed.

                Scroop simply glared, and I didn't have a good feeling about it, either. He followed the rest of the riggers back up into the rigging to unfurl the sails once more. Amelia continued to control the helm. She spotted Jim, who'd begun working on the sails.

"Mr. Hawkins!! Make sure all lifelines are secured good and tight!" Amelia ordered.

" Aye, Cap'n!!" Jim instantly dropped his work and rushed to the lifelines, pulling them good and tight. I turned away.

"Lifelines secured, Captain!!" Jim reported.

"Very good!" I could hear a tinge of proudness in Amelia's voice. "Sasha! Go work with Scroop!"

                I dreaded this, but I did as Amelia told me. I rushed over to the sails, and I got to work... but the next thing I knew, there was a sharp pain in my arm. My vision started to slide and fade, but I saw Scroop's face, smirking and evil. I felt myself falling, falling.... So... tired... Sleep....... going...to....sleep...now..............


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

                _I felt Jim watching me as I slept... It was all nice and peaceful, altough my sleep was to deep and to comfortable to escape from. Jim... Jim? Is that you? No, that's not Jim. He's not that tall. Then who is that person? Wake up, Sasha. Open your eyes....  _I willed myself awake groggilly.

"Glad to see you're awake." said a gruff voice I thought I'd never hear again. I must be dreaming... Yes, that was it... "....What is it, cat got your tongue?"

                I caught the pun once I realized my dewrag was gone and my cat ears were protruding. I groaned, sore and stiff, and rolled over.  I noticed I was wearing an over-sized shirt that went past my knees as a nightshirt. Where was I?

"Sasha... you need to wake up. You've been asleep ever since I found you, which was about three hours ago. Sash, seriously."

I knew, when he called me Sash, that it was him. I bolted out of bed and sprinted over to him, throwing my arms around him and burrying my face in his shoulder.

"Daddy." I whispered, emotions conflicting.

                I was happy.... to happy for words to have my father back. I had missed him so much. I was confused. How did I get here? I was angry. Why hadn't he returned to mother and I? Why had he put us through so much pain? I didn't know what to feel. Daddy pulled me onto his lap, just like when I was a crying little girl, and stroked my hair. I cried for a while, and he simply sat there comforting me.

"Why? Why didn't you come back?" I asked, wavering.

"I couldn't, Sash." a pained look crossed his face.

"Why not?"

"I couldn't return, not once I'd seen it here.... Do you know where we're at?"

"...No."

"We're in a place what the few who have found this place 'Starfall Cross'. Look outside, Sash."

                I got up, my bare feet making a soft noise against the worn wooden floor of Daddy's ship. I looked out the the window and gasped in awe. Stars were falling.... everywhere. Little trails of light, shimmering and multicolored, followed after them.

"Oh...." I whispered.

"Isn't it wonderful? I've always planned.... on going to get you and your mother.... but I never got around to it...." he sighed. I spun around, my face hot with sudden rage.

"Speaking of my mother," I said through clenched teeth, "Ya know what losin' you DID to her?!"

"Sash--"

"No! No excuses! She went -mad- from missing you! It's your fault this family fell apart! You left, mother went crazy, and I was left with nothing! Nothing but a broken past!" I yelled, no, screamed, tears streaming down my face. I wiped the dampness with the sleeve of the nightshirt, even thought the sleeve was about four inches to long.

"Sash.... I..."

"Just forget it... Forget it!"

                I grabbed my clothes, all neatly folded, and stomped up the stairs. I couldn't handle this emotional storm. Settling on the rigging, I closed my eyes. To much to take... this was to much to take... I heard a strange sound but didn't really care. I stepped off with one foot. Was this my only escape? I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath... and was about to step off with the other foot when a hand grabbed mine. I openned my eyes abruptly and found myself staring into the green eyes (a/n: so sue me if that's not the right color.... grumbles) of Jim Hawkins.

"Jim." I said simply.

                He pulled me into the small longboat with him. I nervously yanked at the long nightshirt, which suddenly felt very short.  His green eyes locked on to my blue ones and it seemed that no words were needed to say the unspoken between us. Which was good, because I was speachless. I reached out and touched his hand.

".........Thankyou, Jim."  
"What were you doing back there? Are you nuts, stepping off the rigging?"

"I... guess I was..." I said softly.

"Who's boat was that? If someone hurt you--"

"......Not now, Jim. Please not now."

He saw the tears stinging my eyes and didn't continue but gave my hand a squeeze.

"...So why did you fall of the Legacy?"

"Scroop. That nasty, dirty little mutineer did something to me and the next thing I knew I was falling."

"....I'll report him to Amelia." He looked suddenly upset.   
I touched his arm. "....Jim?"

"Look, don't you get it?! I screwed up! I mean, for two seconds, I thought that maybe I could do something right! But--..." he trailed off, turning away from me and running a hand through his hair.

"Jim...." I whispered, touching his shoulder. He yanked away.

 "UGH! I just..." he sighed, " Just forget it."

                I bit my lip. I couldn't help but feel hurt. I was only trying to help. We pulled into the docking station and he jumped out and walked away, hands in his pockets and head lowered before I could say anything. I ducked into a spare room and changed out of that blasted nightshirt -- I wanted nothing to do with my father -- and trudged up to the deck. As soon as I did, Amelia rushed towards me. She kept trying to talk to me, but I stopped her.

"...It was Scroop's fault. Can I go to bed now? I.... need some sleep." I muttered.

"....Sasha...."

"Please?"

"Okay. Just... we need to talk later."

"yes ma'am."

"....That's Amelia when there aren't any crew members around." she tilted her head slightly and smiled.

"...Yes, Amelia." I smiled faintly and walked off, feeling drained and empty.

                I was in  the galley in the morning, looking at a roughly sketched version of Jim's map, when i heard it... the crew coming down into the galley. I dove into a barrel with some fruit in it, pearing out of a tiny hole, petrified but curious.

"We're sick of all this waiting!" Birdbrain Mary whined.

Hands muttered his agreements.

"Ve are vanting to move!" Meltdown griped.

"We don't move 'til we got th' treasure in hand!" I heard Silver say, and then it all clicked into place. A muntiny. SILVER WAS THE LEADER OF THE MUTINY!

"I say we kill 'em all now. . ." Damn that Scroop...

" I say what's this I say! Disobey my orders again like that stunt yeh pulled with Sasha and so help me, yeh'll be JOININ' 'ER!" Silver yelled.

"Strong talk. . . but I know otherwise. . ."

"You got somethin' t' say, Scroop?"

My eyes watered as I saw that horrible, familliar red claw felt around for a fruit. I carefully put one in Scroop's claw so he would stop fishing around.

"It's that boy. . . Methinks. . . yeh have a soft spot fer him.

" Now mark me. . ." Silver sounded angry, "The lot of yeh! I care about one t'ing and one t'ing only! Flint's trove! Yeh think I'd risk it all for the sake of some nose-wipin' little whelp?! Shut yer yap, yeh bug-brained twit! I cozied up t' that kid t' keep 'im off our scent! But I ain't gone soft!"

"PLANET HOOO!!!" Onus bellowed from above.

I climbed out of the barrel after the crew had left, feeling terrified and numb. I had to find Jim... Jim... Jim... I raced over to him and dragged him by the shirtsleeve down to the galley. I locked the door behind us. He looked confused and more than a little angry.

"What do you want?"

"It's about Silver," I whispered in a hushed voice. "He.... he...." I couldn't bring myself to say it.

"Spit it out." Jim muttered.

"He-planned-a-mutiny-and-he-says-that-he-was-just-using-you!" I said all at once.

"...You liar. I should have known you were." he tweaked my ear disgustedly, and I realized my dewrag was off. "You didn't even tell me who you were.... You're Flint's great grand-daughter. You just..." He crushed one of the fruits under his boot, "... kept playing my emotions. You stole my heart and what did you do with it?" he ground the fruit into a pulp further. "....You shattered it. I can trust Silver more than I could ever _wish _to trust you." he looked disgusted and stalked off.

I fell to my knees. He was so bitter... So angry... he hated me. Jim Hawkins hated me.... DANGIT! DANGIT! I pounded my fist into the floor and started to sob. Dangit, boys could just rip your heart out.... I leaned against the wall, curling up and letting the warm tears flow against my face. I felt something cold and metallic to my throat.

"It seems.... yeh heard to much." Scroop's cold voice said cruelly in my ear. I shuddered with fear.

"Just kill me now." I whispered, bracing myself.

"Why would I want t'do that? Yer.... far to useful. A... how do I say... bargaining chip.... for the map. Yer the only one left on this ship.... other than the crew. That bloody Cap'n is gone, her little doggie friend, and even yer Jim... they all left you. Now c'mon, yeh worthless peice of dirt."

Scroop dragged me to my feet, forcing me to stumble into a hidden passage, where he tied me up and threw me to the floor. "Enjoy yer time here... It might last a while." He slammed the door shut, leaving me to the insanity od solitude.


	5. Chapter 5

So this is what it feels like.... huh? La la la.... I watch the as the pretty blusih glow from the machinery danced across the ceiling... I wished I could be that pretty.... just like light, so feathery and faint and carefree.... I smiled hysterically. I had heard my watch beep thirteen times since I'd been locked inside of this little room. Thirteen, my lucky number...Thirteen hours? Thirteen days? Thirteen months? Thirteen years? It felt like forever, locked up with only the whir of mechanisms to keep me company.

La la la.... I missed Jim, I thought suddenly. I made him mad, didn't I? How did I make him mad? Oh yeah... I told him something... something that made him real mad at me.... I didn't like it when he was mad at me.... What had I said to him that was so awful? '....Silver planned a mutiny... and he's been using you...' So that was how I got in this hellish little room. I curled up into a tiny little ball and tried to sleep, but a voice kept screaming in my head... make the voice shut up.... Make it go away.

Thunk. Thump. I heard noises --or did I?-- just outside. I smiled. It was either smile or scream, and I really didn't want to do either. I just wanted the little voice in my head to stop talking. I closed my eyes, and as my smile faded I bit back a scream. The noises were louder this time, muffled, and I couldn't hold my scream any longer. I screamed and tried to curl myself up so I could attempt to sleep.

"Whozzaire?!" I heard someone exclaim. "Jimmy! Jimmy!" There was a creaking of wheels and all was silent.

Would talking to myself be as good as having company?

".....I am a question to the world.... not an answer to be heard.... or a moment that's held in your arms.... and what did you think you'd ever say... oh, what next? Blast it... That's... Jim's song... It's deep.... and a little confusing... yet wonderful.... just like him... I wonder--"

"Hello? Hello, who's there?" I heard the oh-so-familliar voice tinged with fear.

"JIM!" I screamed.

"Sasha?" he sounded surprised. "......what the...."

There was a blasting sound, then several more in quick succession, and there was a patch of soft etherial light. I had never been so happy to see anything in my life. I squirmed, trying to break lose from my restraints. I blinked, surprised, and saw the dark, ominous figure sillouetted against the pale light.... right behind Jim. In horror, I saw a red claw coming behind Jim's neck.

"Behind you!" I shouted, and Jim ducked and spun around.

"Cabin boy...." an evil smirk spread across the bug-like face I so hated.  
Jim shot at Scroop frantically with his flintlock. Scroop scurried into a more defensible position. A strange robot thingy came in and untied me, and I flexed my wrists for a minute, then dashed forward and popped Scroop a good one. I grinnned. Boy, did that feel good! I watched the robot with a peice missing out of his head roll off, humming 'a pirate's life for me'.

Scroop scowled and snapped one of his claws open. Jim bolted back through the hull of the Legacy. Scroop gave chase, and I trailed behind them. Scroop caught up to Morph, who squealed and suddenly turned himself into a pie, splattering all over Scroop's face. Scroop growled angrily, grabbed Morph, and threw him into a suction pipe. Morph pulled a face and was sucked up.

Jim continued running down the narrow walkway, Scroop following Jim and I following Scroop. Jim quickly turned to his right. Morph banged around in the tube, and Jim quickly pulled out his flintlock... but Scroop had disappeared. &($(&#!!! Scroop suddenly reappeared, looking shocked at the flintlock. Suddenly the lights all went out. It must have been that blasted robot...

A minute later the lights suddenly flipped on again. Jim whirled around, staring ahead of him, expecting to see Scroop, but Scroop was gone again. Jim whirled once more, then started backing up, looking around as he did so. That spider had more trickery up his dirty rotten sleeve.... Then I saw it.... Jim didn't notice as Scroop's claws moved around him. Suddenly I ran forward and tried to knock Scroop away from Jim. He picked me up my my hurt wrist. I cried out

"So.... Yeh still haven't learned yer lesson, have you?"

Morph suddenly shot out of one of the suction tubes next to Scroop's head. Morph screamed in shock, and Scroop turned to look at him. Morph suddenly turned into a hand, pointed two fingers out, and poked Scroop in the eyes, then flew back into the suction tube. Scroop cried out and clutched his eyes. Served the creep right! Jim whirled around and attempted again to shoot at Scroop, but Scroop swung his claw and knocked Jim to the side. The flintlock was knocked out of Jim's reach. He scrambled to grab it, but it had suddenly started floating. What the hell did that robot think he was doing?!

Jim and Scroop looked around, and Jim knocked Scroop through a grate, smashing it. They

both fell out of the hole and to the deck. Scroop grabbed onto the mast to keep from falling into space. Jim fell past him, knocking into the crow's nest, then grabbing onto the flag with the Jolly Roger on it. Scroop began to climb toward Jim. The flintlock floated past Jim, who reached for it.

"Come on, come on, come on--" The flintlock sailed just past his reach. Damnit, this was our luck, wasn't it?! "Come on.... NO!" Jim shouted, exhasperated and grim. He looked down in horror at Scroop. Scroop grinned and opened a claw.

"Oh-ho-ho, yesss. . . ." Scroop began sawing at the rope holding the flag down, and I panicked.

I allowed myself to float just under Scroop, who'd apparently forgotten about me.

"Hey brighteyes..." I yelled, feeling fury and hatred burning strong inside me. "Whatcha think of this? Look familliar, Scroopy?" I pulled out a flintlock I had filched from Amelia's state room and shot not at him, but the peice of the mast he was holding.

Jim clutched the part of the mast that was still attached to the ship. Scroop looked about himself for a second, and then realized what had happened and screamed. Jim and I fell to the deck. He rubbed his head, breathing heavily. Morph suddenly shot out of a tube next to him. Morph, covered in soot, coughed and shook himself off. Jim smiled wearily. Goodness, I love his smile....

"Morph?"

Morph looked tired, but smiled and chirped at Jim.

"Sasha...."

"Yeah, Jim?" I cocked my head slightly.

"....I'm sorry. I should have believed you... I got so defensive, I acted like a jerk. And I apologize. There any way I can make it up to you?"

"....Just like this." I went over to him and kissed him on the cheek, laying my head on his shoulder. He hugged me, but I saw his face was red. I grinned.

"Er... Uh...."

"Sometimes," I smiled, putting my finger to his lips, "Words... just aren't needed."

He nodded, smiling. I heard Morph burbble and glanced up. He was cackling and had formed a tiny pink heart above our heads. Jim laughed and I rolled my eyes. Jim waited a minute, then reached over and put his hand in mine. It was my turn to be speechless.

"....What are we gonna do, Sasha?"

"Whaddya mean?" I asked, confused.

"...I mean, can I come and see you sometimes? I mean, ya can't live that far away.... I just... Don't wanna just walk away and forget all that's happened, y'know?"

"Yeah..." I nodded.

He was right... If we didn't plan this out, then surely we would drift apart, find more important things... And I didn't want that. No... what I felt for Jim was special, I think. I really like him... I looked over at him. He stared up at the etherium thoughtfully. I closed my eyes and squeezed his hand.

"...So what can we do?"

"I dunno if we go to the same school or not..."

"VHS?"

"Yeah."  
"Then... maybe sometime I'll see you there?"  
"Hopefully."

"Till then..." he slipped something into my hand. "...Keep this. If we don't... y'know... stick together... then I want you at least to remember me."

I openned my hand to find a tiny carved wooden box with a rose engraved onto the top. The seemed to actually catch the light, and it looked shimmery and pretty. I beamed over at him. It appeared to have been hand carved, and I knew Jim well enough to figure that he had made it. I smiled and slipped it into my pocket.

"Thankyou, Jim." I beamed.

He blinked, remembering something. "We gotta get back to the captain and Doppler. C'mon."

I nodded, cursing myself for wasting so much time. "Yeah."

"Laser cannons disconnected, Captain Jimmy, sir!" The crazed robot said, tangled in wires and smoking mysteriously. I chose not to ask. "See? That wasn't so tough!"

Jim held up the map, then looked up, preparing himself to go back down to the planet. We hopped into the longboat, which to my surprise appeared untouched by the pirates.

"How'd you--"

"Stole it back from the pirates." Jim answered, grinning. He knew me to well.

I smiled, couldn't hold back a laugh, and held on tightly to the side of the longboat. "...I've learned how you manuver this thing."

He chuckled. "Hold on tight, Sasha."

We were off, quickly but stealthilly. I marveled at the sheer bizarreness of the place. Giant mushroom-like plants grew everywhere, and there was a huge, odd-looking building. We entered through a weird little hole, climing ladders up through hundreds of miles of machinery. It was kind of amazing, really. We entered through another hole, and Jim called, "Doc! Doc, wake up! I got the map!"

As we walked closer, Jim's face was filled with horror. I looked at him, puzzled, then, after squinting, I saw exactly why. Someone sat there, but it was not Doctor Doppler. We had most definetly blown it.


	6. Chapter 6

"Fine work, Jimbo. Fine work, indeed." Silver sneered.

Jim jumped up in shock. He looked around the hideout.... The pirates started to circle around us. Bloody pirates... Jim looked over and saw Doppler and Amelia, both bound and gagged, being held by several of the pirates. I felt angry. No one touched Amelia and got away with it. ((except doppler, cuz i had a feeling there was something there between them, if ya know what I mean! I'd talk to her about that someday.)) The pirates circled closer around us, and I went into a fighting stance.

"Thanks for showin' us the way in, boy!" cackled one of the pirates, and I wanted to hit him.

But I didn't. They had Amelia. She was my adopted mother, for cripes sake... I couldn't let anything happen to her. Jim looked around at the pirates, then suddenly tried to run for it, grabbing my hand, intending to take me along. The pirates caught us easily, and held us as we struggled. Morph bit down on Meltdown's tail. Meltdown shouted and slammed Morph into the ground. I looked to Morph apologetically, mentally thanking him for being so brave. Morph squealed in pain and flew into Jim's pocket. B.E.N. started to come into the hideout, but Birdbrain Mary caught him and held a dagger to his throat.

"What's this sorry stick o' metal, then?!" Birdbrain Mary asked.

"Not the face!!" The robot exclaimed.

Silver, the caniving little --....-- came up to Jim and took the map out of his hand.

"Yer just like me, Jimbo." Silver looked at the map and grinned. I glared disgustedly at him. "Yeh hates t' lose."

Jim continued to struggle as Silver grinned at him. Silver then looked at the map again and tried to twist it open. When he fails, he rolled his eyes and his cybernetic hand turned into a scanning device that probed the map. This too failed, ha ha, and Silver finally turned his hand into a vice. What would happen if he broke it? I had no idea how fragile it was... I'd never messed with it.

"What the devil's the--" Silver began, straining to open the map. He attempted to force the map open, but this also produced no results. Silver glanced at Jim, who was smiling and shaking his head.

"Open it." Silver ordered. He thrusted the map into Jim's hands. The pirates let him go, but Jim simply glared up at

Silver.

I saw Jim's glare slowly transform into a sneer, something I had only once seen before, and didn't care to see again. Silver rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time and his cybernetic hand flipped into a flintlock. He pointed it at me, and I felt my heart rise in my throat. I didn't know what to wish for... be selfish and wish for my life, or be the hero and wish that Jim wouldn't hand over the map.

"I'd get busy." Silver ordered.

Jim shot a desperate look at me, then glared up at Silver again, quickly pressing several buttons on the map and twisting it. He did it fast enough so that the pirates wouldn't catch what he'd done. Whoohoo! Go Jim! Score! The map clicked several times, whirred, then opened. Cool-looking green pixels flew out of the map. Bloody hell! There was simply one beam of green light, blinking somewhat, and leading out onto the planet. The pirates all gazed up in wonder. It reminded me of a movie saw when i was little called A Bug's Life... 'Don't look at the light'! 'I can't help it! It's so beautiful!' They were all staring at it as if it were the secret to life, while I was looking for an escape route.

"Oh, th' powers that be, would yeh look!" Silver shook off his daze, then he gestured towards Jim and I. "Tie 'im up! An' leave 'im with th' others 'til we-- what--"

The green light was suddenly sucked back into the map. Silver looked around at Jim, who was still glaring at him.

"You want the map? You're takin' us, too." He motions towards me.

Silver looked at Jim for a moment, sizing him up. I wanted to seriously -hurt- that stupid old cyborg. He shook his head, laughing at bit, then, still looking at Jim, his decision made.

"We'll take 'em all." Silver said.

They lead us to a longboat, in which fits the entire crew. -Everyone-. From fat old Meltdown to skinny little Birdbrain Mary. The longboat flew silently as we followed the beam of green light from the map, which Jim had called back out. Doppler and Amelia watched from the back of the skiff, concerned. Jim looked angry, B.E.N. looked worried, and the pirates, including Silver, all looked eager. I was probably the only one not really feeling anything ... I actually only felt like throwing up, to be honest...

I guess an uncertain future does that to you... makes you numb and calm, but makes you sick. Cause I had no emotions racing through my head... My heart was blissfully blank. I knew that there was a sharp pain square between my shoulders, but I was sure that was where one of the pirates held me at gunpoint. The longboat continued to fly for a while, leaving me to ponder, but then it stopped. Silver pulled Jim out of the longboat, the robot and I following. All of the pirates, except for Meltdown, also got off after us. The group consisted of Birdbrain Mary, Turnbuckle, Pigors, Oxy, and Moron, along with Silver, Jim, the robot, Morph, and I... We began to followed the green light on foot.

"Jim?" I looked up at him, suddenly realizing just how much danger this situation put us in. I was terrified, "I'm scared." I whispered.

"It's okay, Sasha. . . it's okay." he said firmly, and I could tell he was only putting on his brave face, "I won't let anything happen to you. I'll protect you or die trying."

"Jimmy, I-I don't know about you, but I'm starting to see my life. . . PASS in front of my EYES!" the eccentric robot exclaimed. "At least, I think it's my life! WAS I EVER DANCING WITH AN ANDROID NAMED 'LUPE'?!!

"B.E.N., shh!!" Jim ordered. Jim quieted B.E.N., the robot, down, then looked back to the pirates. "This isn't over yet." he whispered.

Silver looked up at the green, pretty, glowy light. It'd begun to pulse regularly by that time, causing Silver the sleeze to grin. Jerk. JERK!.

"We're gettin' close, lads!" Silver exclaimed.

Jim sighed and turned away, and I knew he was disappointed. I willed Silver just to back out of all this and apologize to Jim for hurting him, but instead Silver just grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him along. I stared up the sky. Somewhere out there was a destiny waiting for me. I didn't want to miss that... I didn't want to screw up. I know how broken hearted I was when I found my dad and he let me down... I couldn't imagine how Jim could feel.

"I smell treasure awaitin'!!" Silver smirked.

He laughed as the pirates cheered. I reached over and squeeze Jim's hand, realizing we were suddenly on a cliff. The glowy thingy that came from the map pulsed gently but suddenly stopped. The pirates all looked around, confused. I felt my heart start to beat faster again. No treasure. That would make the pirates angry. They held my, Amelia, Doppler's, and most importantly Jim's, lives in their hands. I didn't want to make them mad.

"Where is it?!" Oxy asked impatiently.

"I see nothing! One great beeg steenking hunk of nothing!" Onus said angrily.

The map suddenly snapped shut with a loud, metalic _clack_.

"What's goin' on, Jimbo?" Silver demanded. None of the pirates seemed to happy at this point. Jim worked at the map desperately, knowing our lives depended on it.

"I dunno! I. . . I. . . I can't get it open!" he admitted, frantic. "Sasha, can you think of anything?"

I snatched it from him and started to finger it nervously. Surely there was some way to open it again!

"We shoulda' neva' followed these two!" Birdbrain Mary spat, jumping up and knocking me down. I caught myself with my hands.

"Oof! What the....hey, that was rude, you freak!" I said, rubbing my arm.

"I suggest yeh get that gizmo goin' again, and fast!" Silver scowled.

"Let's rip her gizzard right out--" began Turnbuckle, but I covered my ears, not wishing to hear morbid, gross details.

"Throw 'er over cleeff!!!" Onus suggested a little to eagerly.

" Right now!" Turnbuckle backed him up.

The pirates continued to make angry noises of indignation. Meanwhile, I noticed and indentation in the ground. I wiped away some moss, to see if there were any instructions with it. I squinted at it and saw.. a semi-sphere dipped into the ground! The markings in it matched those on the map! Who-hoo! YE---AH! I looked at the map, then shoved it into the indentation.

Suddenly the whole planet shook a bit, and pretty green lights started leading from all over it up the cliff face and into the spot where I just put the map. Jim grabbed my arm and yanked me up and away from the map. The pirates all were silence for a minute (first time I'd ever heard that they didn't have anything rude to say) as the map began to rise from it's spot high into the air. A giant beam of green light rose with it. I watched, entranced and enthralled at the awe-inspiring sight. Suddenly it split into a triangle, revealing a funky-looking portion of space that couldn't be anywhere near where we were at. A green sphere, much smaller, rose to about waist-level. Silver looked at the portal in wonder. Jim glanced over at me, then gently shook my shoulders, making me snap out of my trance.

"Oh, have mercy!" Silver said in shock.

Jim stared at the blue space, different from the local green.

"The Lagoon Nebula?" he stared at it.

"But that's. . . half way 'cross the galaxy!" Silver breathed.

Jim looked at the triangular portal, then at the green sphere full of tiny symbols. He touched one, and the portal closed and opened again, revealing a new location. Jim changed the portal several times I didn't see what kind of kicks he got out of it. Oh well, never question boys. Their minds function differently.... or not at all... oh, that was mean, bad Sasha...

"A big door. . . opening and closing!" Jim said, as if something suddenly dawned on him. Uh, Jim? Reality check. Jim stopped pressing symbols and looked up at the green sphere. Let's see. . . Calyan Abyss. . . Montressor Spaceport!" he grinned and pressed a small crescent-moon-shaped symbol. The portal closed and opened again, revealing Crescentia. Jim's grin widened. He started pressing more symbols.

"So that's how Flint did it! He used this. . . portal to. . . roam the universe, stealing treasure!"

Silver pushed Jim aside and began pressing symbols much more rapidly than Jim had been doing. Goof.

"But where'd he stash it all?!!" Silver clenched his teeth and uttered a word I cannot repeat with each new location that appeared and was a failure. "Where's. . . that. . . blasted. . . TREASURE!"

B.E.N.'s face suddenly lit up. "Treasure. . . treasure! It's. . . buried in the--"

"--buried in the centroid of the mechanism! What if. . . the whole planet IS the mechanism! And the treasure... is buried in the center of this planet!"

Then it hit me all at once.

((Flashback))

I was pretty little, just after Dad left, when Mom hadn't lost her mind. I was in a purple lacy nightdress, standing barefoot in the cold tile kitchen. I was looking out the window. The stars and moon were out. I remember standing on a chair to open the window as I stared at the constalations dreamilly.

"Sasha? Why are you up?" I heard my mother's gentle voice behind me.

I turned around so fast I fell off the chair. The tile really hurt, and I'd hit my head. I started to cry and Mom pulled me into her lap, running herslim fingers through my long hair. I calmed down and stared out the window again. Mom looked worriedly down at me.

"What's wrong, Sasha?"

"Hm?" I looked up to her, "...Oh. I just had a scary dream, that's all."

"What about?"

"A man who looted a ship like ours! He had lots of eyes and he looked mean. I think he was... a... a..." I lowered my voice worriedly, as if fearing someone would hear, "Pirate."

"That was.... Your father's grandfather. His name was Nathaniel Flint. Your father's ...mom's.... dad." she explained with a little difficulty.

((a/n: if you're a little confused, Flint met a girl named Ella, got married to her and had a daughter named Lori. Lori got married to a man named Chris, and she and Chris had a son named Marcus. Marcus married Nina and they had Sasha. Make a little more sense now? Soon I'll be writing the pre-pre-prequel, yes, cause I skipped two generations between the stories, so it has two extra pre-s added on. So anyways, I'll be writing the pre-pre-prequel to this, how Flint and Ella met! Yay! ))

"Where's Daddy anyways?" I demanded, putting my small hands on my hips, sticking out my bottom lip. Remember, I was only seven or eight.

"He's... gone. On a long trip. He'll be back someday."

"But where did he **go**?" I asked with exagerated patience.

"He went to go find Captain Nathaniel Flint, the pirate you dreamed about.... or at least find where he lived."

"Treasure Planet, Treasure Planet!" I squealed, suddenly remembering the faerie tale she told me. "My favorite story!"

I remembered it by heart.... 'On crystal clear nights such as this, when the winds of the Etherium were calm and peaceful, the merchant ships carried the Mocarian Solar Crystals. There was the notorious Captain Nathaniel Flint, and, with his band of renegades, raided the ships. They swooped in out of nowhere, and, gathering their spoils, vanished.... without a trace. Captain Nathaniel Flint gathered his riches, the loot of a thousand worlds, and stored it in a place called Treasure Planet'.

"It's real! It's real!" I laughed happily.

"Not all of it, sweetheart. There's more. But that's written down, and it will be handed down to you when you're ready."

"What do you mean?"

"That was part 1 of the faerie tale. There's a part 2, but you have to be older to read it." she smiled faintly at me.

"What's it called, what's it called?!"

"....I don't really know, Sasha."

"Well, what do you **think** it's called?"

She thought about it. "This Ghost of a Smile."

"Why?"

"Because something scary happens, and after that, the main character finds it hard to smile."

"Oh. When can I read it?"

"I'll let you know when you're old enough, honey."

"Awwww, Mom...."

"You need to get to sleep." she picked me up and carried me to my room, tucking me in. My room was purple. Purple walls, deep purple carpets, purple bedspread and purple curtains. Guess what color I had been obsessed with?

"Good night, Mom."

"Sleep tight." she smiled faintly and kissed my forehead, "Sweet dreams."

((end of flashback))

So everything tied in. Everything fit. I was Nathaniel Flint's great-granddaughter. Being brough back to the present, I realized that the pirates were tearing at the surface of the planet. Were they insane?! Turnbuckle hit it with a pickaxe. It vibrated violently, jolting him badly. The pirates stopped digging and looked up to Silver.

"And just how in the blue blazes are we supposed to get there?!" Silver roared.

"Just. . . open the right door. . ." I shouldered past Silver and stood beside Jim.

I reached into the green sphere and hit the symbol at the very center. The portal openned again, revealing a closed space with great pieces of machinery pouring energy downward. Booya! It worked! Ten points for Sasha! Whee! The pirates, Jim, and B.E.N. all stared. Jim took a step forward, then looked back. He grasped my hand, then pulled me gently through the portal with him. Silver followed, reaching out and holding us back, then stepping through fully himself. We followed the rest of the way, the pirates coming in behind us. We all walked into the area and gasped,

looking around in wonder, at the massive 'centroid' of the planet, covered in gold jewels, chests, and other various things. Just like in the faerie tale.

"Th' Loot of a T'ousand Worlds. . . .!" Silver said in pure amazement.

The pirates all laughed happily and began to 'splash' about in the treasure.

"We are going to need a beegger boat!!!" Onus cackled.

Jim, B.E.N., and I began looking around while the pirates, including Silver, revelled in the loot. Jim saw an old, run-down ship, and began to walk toward it. B.E.N. and I followed him.

"This is all seeming. . . very familiar. . . I c- I can't remember WHY. . . ." B.E.N. began.

Jim looked over the ship excitedly. "B.E.N., Sasha, c'mon! We're gettin' outta here, and we're not leavin' empty-handed."

"B-but, Jimmy! Jimmy!" B.E.N. said.

Jim, ignoring B.E.N., climbed into the ship and I went after him. I turned back and saw as B.E.N. looked around nervously, then followed us.

"You know what's strange? I can't tell you how frustrating this is, Jimmy, 'cause there's-- there's just something tha--that's nagging at the back of my mind--" B.E.N. frowned worriedly.

B.E.N. fell to the deck, then looked up. Jim whirled around.

" YAAAHHHH!!!!" B.E.N. yelled.

Jim stared at what B.E.N. was screaming at. It's a skeleton, sitting in a throne-like chair and covered in old, tattered clothing. It has six eyes and alien-looking ribs and hands. But I knew what it was. That was my great-grandfather. That was Captain Nathaniel Flint, Pirate of Pirates. I stared, speechless. So this was where, techinically, my grandmother, my father, and now me, had started. A bloody, backstabbing pirate. For some reason, though, I felt deep down, in 'The Ghost of a Smile', I'd find it differently. He didn't strike me as evil now. Surely something changed him... Right?

"Captain Flint?!" Jim gaped at the skeleton of Nathaniel.

" In the flesh!!!! .....Well, s-sort of, except for. . . skin, organs, or anything that-that-that resembles flesh, that stuff there. . ." B.E.N. stammered.

Jim started to walk toward Flint's skeleton.

"Don't mess with it!" I blurted out. Jim turned around, giving me a strange look.

"Why not?"

"Because he was alive, j-jst like we are right now! Someday w-we'll be l-like that! He's m-my great grandf-father!" I suddenly put my face in my hands, overwhelmed.

Jim wrapped me in a strong hug.

"It'll be okay, Sasha," Jim said softly. He held me for a long time, but when I finally relaxed he let go. "Now, I have a reason to mess with him a little. I want to see if he has anything to start this boat with."

"And yet, y'know, it's so odd, y'know, I mean, I remember there were two horrible things Flint didn't want anyone else to know, but I-I-I just can't remember what they were!" B.E.N. said shrilly.

Jim looked at something clutched in one of Nathaniel's hands. He looked back at B.E.N.'s head, where I followed his gaze to a piece is missing and several loose wires hang out. He looked back to Flint's hand and tried to pry it open. He ended up pulling it off completely, and I let out a small squeak, a pained expression on my face. Disturbing the body of my ancestors... I shook my head. Jim pulled out a piece of metal from Nathaniel's hand and looked back at B.E.N.

"Oh, a mind is a terrible thing to lose!" B.E.N. said miserably, making pathetic sobbing noises. I looked to Jim, who was actually grinning.

"B.E.N. . . I think I just found your MIND! Hold still!" Jim grabbed B.E.N.'s head and started to line up the piece of metal he found with B.E.N.'s wiring.

"Jimmy! You-your hands are very, very cold! Ah--"

The wires suddenly lined up with the piece of metal in Jim's hand automatically, and pulled the piece into place. Jim stepped back in a satisfactory way and watched B.E.N., whose eyes suddenly had streams of data running through them. I stared, surprised. So Nathaniel had B.E.N.'s memory!

"Woah!!" B.E.N. exclaimed. B.E.N.'s eyes cleared up and were now a bluish shade, instead of their usual yellowy-green color. "HELLO!" B.E.N. looked around, a slight smile on his face. He rubbed his chin with his thumb and index finger, or the peices of metal that he had for fingers. "Y'know, uh, Jimmy, I was just thinking--" he stopped, shocked, but grinned excitedly. I was just THINKING! It's all coming back! All my MEMORIES! Right up until Flint pulled my memory circuit so I could never tell anybody about his wife Ella and the BOOBY TRAP!"

A loud explosion suddenly could be heard from somewhere in the centroid. We looked up. It hit me full force just what a man could do to booby trap a place. I had no doubt we would soon be dead.... But I'd thought that before, hadn't I? And was I dead yet? I don't think so!

"Speaking of which.... " B.E.N. said and Jim started to look around frantically, trying to think of something to do. I bit my lip. Think, Sasha, think! "Flint wanted to make sure that nobody could ever steal his treasure, so he rigged this

whole planet to blow--"

The whole planet suddenly shook and one of the energy beams sparked dangerously.

"Higher than a Calypsian kite!!!" B.E.N. finished.

The pirates looked around, worried, at the shaking centroid. Several of the energy beams had abruptly torn loose of the ports and were blasting through the treasure. The pirates got up and started to run back to the portal. I had half a mind to do so myself, but on the ship it was easier said than done. B.E.N. tried to pull Jim and I along.

"Run! Run for your life!!!" B.E.N. cried loudly and dramatically.

I laid down under the control panel of the ship we were on and started working at rewiring it. I twisted around and looked up at B.E.N.

"You go back and help Amelia and Doppler! If I'm not there in five minutes, leave without me! Jim, be careful!"

Jim reached for me, grabbing me gently by the feet and tugging me further out from under the console.

"Nope. Not leaving without you."

"We are NOT leaving our buddy Sasha!" B.E.N. said a little too loudly.

I forced myself to glare at B.E.N. darkly, still holding two wires. B.E.N. grinned nervously.

"Unless. . . she looks at me. . . like that! BYE, SASHA!" B.E.N. suddenly jumped over the side of the ship, on his way to Doppler and Amelia.

"Sasha--"

"Go, Jim. I mean it," I ordered softly. "Be careful. I love you, Jim Hawkins."

He bent down and kissed my forehead before dashing off. The centroid began to slide open violently, and the treasure fell into the massive cracks. The energy beams had almost all slipped, and were violently ripping into the centroid. I bit on the control pannel suddenly lit up and I stood again, going to the helm. The ship began to rise and I steered it the best I could. I never had been very good at this stuff, but still, I was good enough.

"Yes! Morph, we are so outta here!" I looked over my shoulder to Morph, who'd stuck with me. He burbled a happy laughter but suddenly stopped.

"Ahh, Sasha! Aren't yeh the Seventh Wonder of the Universe? Survivin' through Scroop's incident, gettin' rescued by Jimbo... Yeh get all the breaks!" he chuckled.

I stared in horror and shock at Silver as he begans to walk toward me. I turned frantically and searched the piles of gold for anything to defend myself. I pulled a sword out, holding it defensively in front of me.

"Get BACK, you traitor!"

Silver took a step back, surprised by the sword, but his look quickly darkened. He looked up at me.

"Yeh always did know to much fer yer own good, Sasha. Despite that, I had me a soft spot for both you an' Jimbo. But I've come too far to let you stand between me an' me treasure." Silver began moving closer to me, and I was gripped by despair as I looked up at Silver.

Suddenly an energy beam hit the side of the ship, knocking Silver and I off. Silver landed on a metal platform that's jutted up, but I fell past it and slid down, hitting a wall off of the platform. Silver stared at the deep crevasse which held a firey hell, the molten core of the planet. I hungs on to a protruding piece of metal on the wall, but just barely. My fingertips started to slide a little and Morph squeaked in horror. I was doomed.


	7. Chapter 7

Hanging there, clutching life by only my fingertips, I realized just how much my life meant to me. Every little bit of it mattered. Every memory, every small detail, every person, every place. Jim. I kicked and struggled. I had to get back to Jim somehow! I sighed and let my body go limp again. It was no use. I had nowhere to go... no where except into the fire. I squinched my eyes shut.

"Sasha!" I heard the voice that had spoken so many times and I could recognize a mile away.

"JIM!" I cried.

"C'mon! Sasha! Reach for me, now!" I did my best to reach, but couldn't hold my hand out for long without falling.

"I . . . I can't!!" I exclaimed.

The ledge that I was holding onto suddenly aligned with the wall, leaving me without a handhold. I shouted as I slid down the wall and managed to grab another ledge, but was entirely too far away from Jim to reach without letting go of the ship. Jim looked frantically at me, and then suddenly jumped from the platform. I screamed, horrified, but saw that he had landed on a little ledge above me. He laid down on it and reached for my hand. I stretched my hand towards him, and at first only my fingertips brushed his, but I leaned up further, my body screaming in protest.

Finally I clutched his hand. He pulled me up to the small ledge, and my legs became locked up. I couldn't move. I could just sit there, clutching Jim like a lifepreserver in a stormy sea. We couldn't help but watch in terror as an energy beam made the wall where I had been seconds before explode violently, a few chunks of it showering out. Jim pulled me to my feet and reached over, holding onto my arm.

"Now I want you to jump to the next platform. We can get out from there. Just jump as hard and fast as you can. Don't worry about falling. I'll never let you fall."

"Jim--" I looked over at him. After that I was horrified of standing on this planet, much less jumping across a chasm under life-or-death situations here!

"Please... It's our only chance."

"For you."

I nodded, wavering before turning around, backing up the few feet that the small ledge would allow, and running and jumping. My feet hit solid ground. I let out a breath of relief and stumbled forward a few steps so Jim would have room to land. The next thing I knew he was clasping my hand firmly and dragging me thought the portal to the surface of Treasure Planet. The Legacy suddenly flew up, Amelia with her arm in a sling and Doppler at the helm. "waved to us from the controls.

"Aloha, Jimmy, Sasha!" "worked quickly at his own navigational controls and at the ship's. "Hurry, people! We've got exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds 'til planet destruction!"

Amelia watched Doppler at the helm. "Alright, you're doing fine, Doctor! Now, ease her over, gently, GENTLY!"

Doppler had a look of concentration on his face as he attempted to fly the Legacy over to Jim and I. It banged against the side of the cliff slightly. We clambered onto the Legacy together. Amelia got up and began to walk to Jim and I. I saw Silver on the ship, looking a bit dejected.

"Take us out of here, Metal Man!" Amelia called to B.E.N.

"Aye, Captain!" B.E.N. nodded.

Silver spotted Amelia on the bridge and took off his hat, and grinning up at her.

"Cap'n! Yeh dropped from the heavens in the nick o'--"

"Save your clap-trap for the judge, Silver!" Amelia ordered forcefully.

Silver kept his grin, but it was a nervous one. He put his hat back on his head. "A-heh-heh. . . a-heh."

Debris suddenly crashed into one of the masts, knocking down one of the main sails. Shrapnel rained to the deck. Everyone ducked, and then looked up again. B.E.N. looked at the controls.

"Pistons failed to mobilize, Captain! Thrusters at only thirty percent of capacity!" B.E.N. rattled off.

Doppler looked up, shocked. "Thirty percent?! That means we'll..." Doppler looked to Amelia nervously for confirmation. "...We'll never clear the planet's explosion in time."

Jim, meanwhile, ran to a part of the deck, and I dashed after him. Jim was looking at some of the debris and thinking as quickly as he couls, brow furrowed in concentration. He looked at a smoldering cylinder, then at a long piece of metal knocked down earlier

"...We gotta turn around!" He said suddenly, looking up.

"What?!" Amelia gaped at him as if he was crazy.

Jim knelt down and began working at the cylinder and the long piece of metal.

"There's a portal back there! It can get us out of here!" he said ugently.

"Pardon me, Jim, but, doesn't that portal open onto a RAGING INFERNO?!!" Doppler said, his voice rather higher than usual. Jim glanced up at Doppler, then went back to work.

"Yes!" Jim said, struggling with what he was doing, "But I'm gonna change that! I'm gonna open a different door!"

Doppler looked at Amelia. "Captain, really, I-I just don't see how this could possibly--"

"Listen to Jim! He knows what he's doing! He's saved my butt more than once!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, Listen to th' boy!!" Silver suddenly roared.

Silver leaned down next to Jim. "was typing so rapidly that his hand was just a blur at his navigational system.

" One minute twenty-nine seconds 'til planet destruction!" B.E.N. called.

Silver looked over what Jim was doing. "Whatta yeh need, Jim?"

Jim looked at the long piece of metal and the cylinder. "Just. . . just some way t' attach this!"

"Alright. . . stand back, stand back, now!"

Silver quickly changed his cybernetic arm into a blowtorch and welded the two pieces of metal together as Jim watcheed. Silver finished and helped Jim lift up the now-attached cylinder and long piece of metal. I kind of stood back, afraid I'd mess everything up. I was bad like that sometimes....

"There yeh go!" Silver nodded.

"There yeh go!" Morph repeated.

Jim balanced up on the piece of metal and looked back at Silver.

"Okay, now, no matter what happens, keep the ship heading straight for that portal!"

We all turned at the sound of B.E.N.'s voice.

"Fifty-eight seconds!!!" he declared.

Jim looked back at Silver, his eyes holding a mixture of hurt, fear, and determination. Silver looked up at him pointedly, and Jim turned, his face now one of complete determination. He kicked the cylinder, starting it with his foot. It sparked and began spinning rapidly. Jim started off. Already pieces of the planet were breaking off, and Jim swerved around them. I stood there nervously, clinging to the edge of the boat and watching my Jim fly into danger.

"Well you 'eard 'im! Get this blasted heap turned 'round!!!" Silver bellowed.

Silver gestured forcefully back toward the portal. Doppler looked at Amelia in question. Amelia could get used to that, having her permission asked for anything and everything.

"Doctor, head us back for the portal." Amelia commanded.

"Aye, Captain. . ." Doppler nodded, turning back to the helm.

I watched as Jim started back towards the portal. He worked to dodge the breaking metal pieces of the planet, and everything was coming apart much more quickly. Large chunks had jutted out of the surface and the inner workings, overheating dangerously, were beginning to show. The cylinder stalled once, making me hold my breath, and Jim starts it up again with his heel. He continued on quickly.

"Turn to the right, THE RIGHT--" Amelia yelled.

"I know! I know! Will you just let me DRIVE?!" Doppler exclaimed.

Perfect. They were -perfect- together... Fighting over random little things like backseat driving, yet so cute together. Oh, cripes, Sasha, stop thinking like that....

Meanwhile B.E.N. was becoming even more panicked. "TWENTY-FIVE SECONDS!!!"

I turned back to watch Jim again. He was flying over a particularly large chasm, the size of a small canyon. The cylinder suddenly stalled out again, and Jim began to fall toward the molten workings of the planet. He attempts to start the cylinder up again with his heel, but this time it doesn't work.

"No, NO!"

"JIM!" I screamed, and Amelia grabbed my arm.

"He'll be alright, Sasha."

"But--"

"He can take care of himself. Have faith in him."

I watched, almost in tears, as Jim disappeared into the giant chasm. I reached out, not that it would do any good, towards the place where he'd fallen. Come on Jim.... You can do it! Remember....? You're the one, because you're still here. _Are _you still here? Or did this planet take your life? I love you. Don't leave me. Please?

I turned around because I couldn't stand the suspense any longer. B.E.N. was near mental-breakdown from panic.

"SEVENTEEN SECONDS!!" B.E.N. announced.

Morph gasped in horror, and wrapped himself around a rope on the Legacy. I heard a faint noise and turned around. It was Jim! He was heading straight up the canyon wall and continueed to dodge more peices of the broken planet, which was barely holding together.

"Seven. . . six. . . five. . . " B.E.N. said.

Jim caught up to us, passing us slightly. He flew just in front of us, face set.

"Four. . . THREE. . . TWO--"

I squeezed my eyes shut, clutching the little box Jim had given me tightly. Suddenly the sound all stopped and I just had to open my eyes. All I saw was the quiet blue etherium. It seemed peaceful and silent, undisturbed. Jim flew in front of us, whooping in victory.

"HAH! YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAH!! HEEAHYAAEHHHHAHHH!!!" He grinned excitedly.

Jim flew up past me, and I watched him, overjoyed. Morph turned into a miniature flashing display of fireworks and confetti for Jim. Jim high-fived me and flew past again. He really was making me a little nervous on that peice of junk. I knew it wasn't totally safe, seeing as it almost failed him while he was on the planet. Everyone on deck continued cheering happily.

I looked around, grinning, and caught sight of Doppler and Amelia hugging, both of them with their eyes shut and cheek-to-cheek. They both suddenly openned their eyes and stared at one another in shock, then smiled. Jim flew back down to the deck of the Legacy, letting the slapdash solar surfer fall away. He stood on the deck, reveling in his victory. I ran up and threw my arms around him. Amelia and Doppler walked up, both smiling at Jim, and I stepped away from him.

"Unorthodox, but ludicrously effective! I'd be proud to recommend you to the interstellar academy. They could use a man like you!" Amelia smiled.

Jim grinned, and Doppler leaned down next to him, grinning. "Just wait until your mother hears about THIS! 'Course we may downplay the life-threatening parts. . ."

Jim laughed a little. Amelia stepped up next to Doppler and B.E.N. walked up to him.

"Jimmy, that was. . . UNFORGETTABLE!" B.E.N. beamed. "I know you don't like touching, but. .. get ready for a hug, Big Guy, 'cause I gotta hug ya!" B.E.N. laughed and hugged Jim. Jim tolerated the hug with a small smile, then suddenly grabbed B.E.N.

"C'mere!" he laughed.

"Woah!"

Jim hugged B.E.N. tighlty against himself, swinging him around once. He set him down.

"Heeeyyyyy, you hugged me BACK... Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry!! WAAAGHHH!!" B.E.N. sounded choked up and started sobbing, once again overdramatic, on Jim's shoulder. Jim sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Does anyone have a tissue?" B.E.N. sniffed.

"Thankyou, Sasha." Jim smiled to me now, taking both my hands in his. "You made the biggest difference."

"How did... I... make a difference?"

"You changed me... from a rebel into who I am now. You just sort of... healed an old wound, I guess. I owe you for that.... I really do. I love you."

"I love you too." I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Just wait till I show you everything on Montressor." he grinned suddenly. "It'll be great...."

"Yeah.... as long as I'm with you." I paused, "....Man, that was so cheesey..."

"Cheesey isn't always bad." Jim laughed.

"Alrighty then."

I watched the etherial light wash over us as we neared Crecentia, my hand in Jim's. I'd never forget my journey to Treasure Planet.


	8. Epilouge

I stood infront of the mirror. My long hair fell in soft curls about my shoulders, and my lavender dress fell in swirlies around my ankles. My purple heels made a soft click as I turned around, examining myself. I even wore makeup, even though I was totally opposed to that. I mean, what was the point of putting something on your lips that didn't taste good? And why make yourself look like you're blushing? Cripes! There was a soft knock on the door.

"Sasha....?" I heard my mother's voice.

Goodness, it was good to have her back. When I got back from the voyage, it turns out my father had returned and my mother had regained her sanity. She openned the door, her bright green eyes meeting mine. I looked a lot more like dad.... Mom was the pretty one, really. She had black hair and green eyes, and even though she was getting older she still looked quite young. It had taken almost a year to rebuild the Benbow Inn, in which we were in at that very moment.

Mother smiled slyly. "Jim's waiting. He won't cut the ribbon without you."

"Omigosh..." I rolled my eyes. Indeed over the 10 months we had been back we had gotten very serious, but he kept doing these silly little things like insisting on me being out in public and such.

"He insists. Sasha, he really does love you." Mother brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes.

"I know. I love him too. The whole -etherium- couldn't contain how much I love him." I smiled. "Let's go."

I walked out, my mother (wearing a pretyful maroon dress) following. I walked to the ribbon, where Mrs. Hawkins, Amelia, Morph, and a crowd of some Benbow residents stood in front of the door. A large red ribbon was in front of them. It was cut by Jim, and a good deal of cheering began. He looked over and smiled at me. The cheering of the crowd faded away, and Jim disappeared. It soon became dark and I started to wonder just where he was at. I sat by the window and listened to the crickets chirp. B.E.N. offered me a plate of cake, which I turned away politely.

I gazed around the room. Maybe Jim had slipped in without me noticing... My gaze settled on Amelia and Doppler. The sight of them together made me smile. Three female infant "kittens" were in Doppler's arms (Leah, LaTifa, and Julia), wrapped in pink blanets and Amelia held a "puppy" (Alexander) in a blue blanket. Amelia bent down and kissed the Alex on the forehead. He yawned sleepily and blinked awake, smiling.

Suddenly I jumped up as the front door bursted open alarmingly. Two constables, Robocops, whatever, wheeled in. I glanced to Mrs. Hawkins for an explaination, but looked worried too. Suddenly both constables rolled to the side, revealing Jim. Unlike when I first met him, his hair was cut, his earring gone, and he was wearing a white uniform. He looked down at himself and then smiled up at Mrs. Hawkins and I. I had seen him look cute before, but I had never dreamed he would be this handsome... Morph, who Silver had let Jim adopt, flipped in the air, turning into a medal with shooting stars on it, and pinned himself to Jim's chest.

Suddenly shanty-music started up. Mrs. Dunwoodie was using her multiple arms to play several different instruments. The crowd parted, leaving an aisle in the center of the room. Many clapped, while those forming the aisle waved lilies in the air in rhythm to the music, and I smiled slightly, looking down at my feet. I looked up, startled, as Jim took my arms and pulled me to my feet. He danced with me down the aisle. I smiled contentedly at him. He always knew when I was out of sorts, and just how to make me feel better. Doppler came up with Amelia behind us, spinning her around. She dropped gracefully and Doppler caught her, both of them smiling. Jim took my hand and lead me away from the crowd.

"Speaking of going down the aisle... Sasha.... I've only known you what... a year...? But I feel like I've known you my whole life. And I know, after spending so much time with you and feeling so strongly for you that you're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Sasha, will you marry me?" he said as he dropped down on one knee.

"I will." I beamed, throwing my arms around him.

That was the beginning of the end of my old life, and I was sure it would lead to nothing but joy in my new life with Jim. It was perfect... Just perfect.


End file.
